Influence of diabetes on metabolism of vascular smooth muscle

Glucose utilization and the conversion of glucose to lactate, CO2, glycogen and lipids are decreased in the aorta from diabetic rats and rabbits. In addition the incorporation of amino acid into protein is reduced in diabetic rat aorta. The metabolic changes produced by diabetes are counteracted by insulin treatment, but there is a time lag of about 2 days before the effect of insulin treatment appears. The membrane transport of glucose in smooth muscle is carried out by a specific transport system of the facilitated diffusion type. A rate limiting influence of membrane transport on glucose metabolism is found in bovine mesenteric arteries and rabbit colon smooth muscle. In these preparations the influence of glucose concentrations on glucose metabolism is most pronounced in the range 0-11.1 mmol exhibiting saturation at higher glucose concentrations. Insulin in a high concentration (0.1 U/ml) has acute (less than or equal to 3 h) metabolic effects in vitro on smooth muscle which are qualitatively similar to those in skeletal muscle, but are weaker and appear later. The threshold concentration for the acute metabolic effects of insulin on smooth muscle in vitro is 10-100 times above the physiological levels, indicating a low acute sensitivity to insulin.